Plasma Plasmalogen Levels and Risk of Lymph Node Positive Breast Cancer

This preprint investigates the relationship between systemic lipid profiles and the risk of lymph node–positive breast cancer. Using pre-diagnostic plasma samples from participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II alongside complementary mechanistic experiments in mouse models, the authors find that lower levels of phosphatidylethanolamine- and phosphatidylcholine-enriched plasmalogens are associated with increased risk of lymph node involvement. Parallel findings in animal models suggest that reduced plasmalogen levels and diminished polyunsaturated fatty acid availability create a metabolic environment that promotes cancer cell survival and metastatic spread within lymph nodes. The study highlights a potential role for circulating lipid biomarkers in understanding breast cancer progression and metastasis.